OUR TREKKING TOURS:
At 5,895 metres (19,340 ft), Kilimanjaro is the highest point on the African continent and one of the most recognisable mountains on earth. It sits in the northeast of Tanzania, within the 756 square km national park that bears its name. What appears from a distance as a single flat-topped peak is in fact three distinct volcanoes: Shira (3,962m / 12,999ft), the oldest and long extinct; Mawenzi (5,149m / 16,893ft); and Kibo (5,895m / 19,340ft), both dormant since the last recorded activity in the 1940s. The Uhuru Peak, the summit most climbers are aiming for, sits at the top of Kibo and is the highest point on the continent.
The Machame Route, known among climbers as the Whiskey Route, is one of the most popular and scenic ways up the mountain, and for good reason. It passes through the complete range of Kilimanjaro’s vegetation zones, from dense montane forest through alpine moorland and desert to the glaciated summit, and the variety of landscape keeps the days interesting even as the altitude begins to make itself felt. The hiking distances are longer than on other routes and involve more total climbing time due to several valley crossings, but this is precisely what gives the Machame its reputation: the profile suits acclimatisation well, and it holds the highest summit success rate of any route on the mountain.
We offer this route over six days or seven, with the additional day spent acclimatising at Karanga Camp. For anyone serious about reaching Uhuru Peak, that extra day is time genuinely well spent. All accommodation on the mountain on this route is in tents.
Kilimanjaro is a serious undertaking, and proper preparation makes a significant difference. Our Trekking Tips, Trekking FAQ, Equipment and Preparation page, and Altitude Illness information cover everything you need to know before you lace up your boots. For questions or a quick price quotation, please get in touch.
ITINERARY:
DAY 1: Arusha – Machame Gate – Machame Camp (10km, 5-7 hour walk, 1200m/3937ft ascent)
After an early breakfast, the transfer takes you from Arusha to the Machame Gate where registration is completed and the trek begins. The trail winds upward through dense montane forest, passing a halfway clearing before reaching Machame Camp. Picnic lunch is taken on the trail. Overnight: Machame Camp.
DAY 2: Machame Camp – Shira Camp (6km, 5-7 hour walk, 840m/2756ft ascent)
The forest gives way to rocky ridges as the path climbs toward Shira Camp. The Shira Plateau opens up around you and on a clear day the outline of Mount Meru is visible in the distance, a reminder of how high you have already come. Picnic lunch on the trail. Overnight: Shira Camp
DAY 3: Shira Camp – Lawa Tower – Barranco Camp (10km, 6-7 hour walk, 110m/361ft ascent)
The path rises gradually toward the Kibo Dome, passing a junction that leads toward the Arrow Glacier before descending into the Barranco Valley. The day involves more altitude gain than the net ascent suggests, which is exactly the point: climbing high and sleeping lower is one of the most effective acclimatisation strategies on the mountain. Picnic lunch on the trail. Overnight: Barranco Camp
DAY 4: Barranco Camp – Karanga Camp (4km, 4-6 hour walk, 150m/492ft ascent)
A shorter but demanding day, beginning with the Barranco Wall, a steep scramble that looks more intimidating from below than it proves in practice, and continuing through the Karanga Valley to Karanga Camp. This day can be used as a dedicated acclimatisation day, with a short afternoon climb and an early return to camp for rest. For anyone on the seven-day itinerary, this is where that extra day earns its keep. Overnight: Karanga Camp
DAY 4/5: Karanga Camp – Barafu Hut (4km, 4-6 hour walk, 450m/1476ft ascent)
On the six-day itinerary, the afternoon of Day 4 continues directly from Karanga to Barafu after lunch. On the seven-day itinerary, this becomes Day 5, departing after breakfast and arriving in the early afternoon with time to rest before the summit push. From Barafu, the peaks of both Mawenzi and Kibo are clearly visible, and the scale of what lies ahead becomes very real. Overnight: Barafu Camp
DAY 5/6: Barafu Hut– Uhuru Peak – Mweka Camp (17km, 10-15 hour walk, 1300m/4265ft ascent, 2800m/9186ft descent)
The alarm goes off shortly after midnight. The summit push begins in darkness and cold, moving steadily upward through thin air toward Stella Point (5,745m / 18,848ft) on the crater rim, and from there along the final stretch to Uhuru Peak (5,895m / 19,340ft), the roof of Africa. Take a moment at the top. You have earned it. The descent follows the Mweka Route, the fastest way down the mountain, reaching Mweka Camp by evening. Picnic lunch on the trail. Overnight: Mweka Camp
DAY 6/7: Mweka Camp– Mweka Gate – Arusha (9km, 3-4 hour walk, 1600m/5249ft descent)
The final descent to Mweka Gate, where the vehicle is waiting to transfer you back to your hotel in Arusha. Do not forget to collect your summit certificate before you leave. It is well deserved.
End of tour!
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